A Message from the Cardinal

A thought is running through my mind in these days of Christmas. It is this:

In the Incarnation of the Eternal Word, God is making a public declaration of his love for every human being, and for his entire creation.

Of course, God has made previously manifest this same love. But sometimes it has been shrouded in the cloud, or obscured by its messengers, or lost in the complexities of history. But now it is unambiguous, it is clear, it is a public declaration in our flesh of God’s unwavering love for all his creation, for each one of us.

And the purpose of this solemn declaration is that we are drawn into God’s love and into a response of love to God in return. The ebb and flow of this love is the secret of life, of happiness, of peace.

At Christmas we are being reminded that our fulfilment as human beings depends, in the end, on nothing less than our entry into this love that flows from God to us, and from us to God. Without this life of love our human existence is lacking in its fundamental purpose and fulfilment.

As we contemplate the Christmas scene we see the way God has chosen to make this unambiguous declaration of love: not in the exclusive context of a palace, or in any structure of power, but in the powerless of a stable from which no-one is excluded. Indeed, we are led there by those who were considered the lowest in society: the shepherds.

At the crib we can begin to understand that every single word, and gesture and action of Jesus is an unfolding of this single proclamation of God’s love for us. We attend to his every word and to every event, from this moment, through the Cross, to his Resurrection, knowing they are shaped by a single purpose: to declare the undying love of God for us all.

So, let us approach Christmas with a sense of receiving an enormous, transforming gift, the gift of the declaration of God’s love for us. In response we offer the Lord our love in return, every day, in every word, in every action of our lives.

My prayer for you at this Christmas is that your hearts will be filled with the realisation of his gift of love for you and that your response will be one of offering your love to Him, in reply.

A happy Christmas to you all.

Westminster Cathedral

Cathedral Clergy House 42 Francis Street London SW1P 1QW Telephone 020 7798 9055 Email chreception@rcdow.org.uk www.westminstercathedral.org.uk

Cathedral Chaplains

Fr Sławomir Witon´ , Administrator Fr Brian O’Mahony, Sub-Administrator Fr Michael Donaghy Fr Hugh MacKenzie Fr Mike Maguire, Precentor Fr Vincent Mbu’i SVD Fr John Scott, Registrar

Also in residence

Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady ofVictories: Sr Angelina, Sr Fatima and Sr Jesuina

Music Department

Simon Johnson, Master of Music Peter Stevens Obl. OSB, Assistant Master of Music Carolyn Craig, Organ Scholar

Cathedral Manager

Peter McNulty

Estates Manager

Neil Fairbairn

Finance Manager

Awaiting appointment

Fundraising Manager

Marie-Louise Van Spyk

Chapel of Ease

Sacred Heart Church Horseferry Road SW1P 2EF